Lords Sitting of 5 September 1939

Preamble
The House met at three of the clock, The LORD CHANCELLOR on the Woolsack.

AIR-RAID WARNINGS.
3.6 p.m.
VISCOUNT SAMUEL: My Lords, I desire to ask His Majesty's Government a question of which I have given private notice; First, whether it is not possible to prevent unauthorised and unidentified friendly 'planes from flying over Great Britain at the present time; and second, whether it is necessary, when an unidentified 'plane has been sighted in the Midlands or North of England, to give immediately the air-raid warning in London and other areas situated at a distance.
THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (EARL STANHOPE): My Lords, I am much obliged to the noble Viscount for raising this question. As the noble Viscount is doubtless aware, civil flying over this country in the ordinary sense is entirely suspended in the present emergency, and no civil aircraft may leave the ground here without express authority issued on behalf of the Secretary of State for the particular flight involved. Heavy penalties are attached to a breach of this regulation. He will realise, of course, that any unauthorised flight over this country is liable to result in the aircraft concerned being destroyed by the anti-aircraft defences. As regards the second part of the noble Viscount's question, the arrangements governing the issue of air-raid warnings provide that only areas which appear liable to attack shall receive warnings. It is, of course, impossible to explain in any detail the circumstances in which the particular warnings referred to were issued. The noble Viscount will, I am sure, agree that, for the present at any rate, it is far better to err, if at all, on the safe side.

THE SINKING OF THE "ATHENIA."
LORD STRABOLGI: Might I ask the Leader of the House if there is any
988
further statement on behalf of the Government with regard to the sinking of the "Athenia"?
3.9 p.m.
EARL STANHOPE: My Lords, there is very little further information that I can give, other than that which appeared in the Press this morning, and which was stated in an answer to a question which was asked of the First Lord in another place. It is impossible to estimate the number of casualties until various ships have landed the survivors in the different ports to which they are heading. Some are making for this country and some are going across to the United States. According to a reliable witness the submarine fired its torpedo and then broke surface, so that there is no question of what was the cause of the sinking of that ship.
LORD STRABOLGI: I am much obliged to the noble Earl. My noble friend beside me says that there has been a report of gunshots having also been fired. I do not know whether there is any truth in that. Would the noble Earl also make it quite clear, with regard to the allegation of mine-laying in that part of the sea, that in the first place (I believe I am right in saying) it is far too deep in that part of the Atlantic to lay any form of moored mine, and, secondly, that the last people to let loose a floating mine on the trade routes would be the British Admiralty?
EARL STANHOPE: I am much obliged to the noble Lord for asking the supplementary questions. There certainly is a rumour that a shot was fired, but there is no official confirmation of it, and I understand that the Admiralty is anxious to await the return of the Captain to these shores, so as to be quite certain of the facts before making a definite statement. But there are rumours that the shot was fired by the submarine. As regards the laying of mines, the noble Lord is perfectly correct in his suggestion. Of course that part of the sea is too deep for the laying of a moored mine, and besides, in any case it would be an absurd place to put mines at all. After all, we are anxious in this country to keep our trade going in and out, in the ordinary course of events, without interference, and therefore to place mines in that area would be entirely contrary to

989
the whole policy not only of the Admiralty but of course of the Government itself. For that reason, if for no other, the suggestion that a mine had been laid by this country is obviously ridiculous and absurd.

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE.
3.12 p.m.
EARL STANHOPE: My Lords, I beg to move that Standing Order No. XXXIX be considered in order to its being suspended for this day's sitting.
Moved, That Standing Order No. XXXIX be considered in order to its being suspended for this day's sitting.—(Earl Stanhope.)
On Question, Motion agreed to, and ordered accordingly.

LIABILITY FOR WAR DAMAGE (MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS) BILL. [H.L.]
THE EARL OF LUCAN: My Lords, I beg to introduce a Bill to modify certain rights and liabilities with respect to goods lost or damaged by war; and to move that it be read a first time.
Moved, That the Bill be now read 1a.—(The Earl of Lucan.)
On Question, Bill read 1a, and to be printed.

POLICE AND FIREMEN (WAR SERVICE) BILL. [H.L.]
LORD TEMPLEMORE: My Lords, on behalf of my noble friend Lord De La Warr, I beg leave to introduce a Bill to make provision with respect to constables and firemen serving in His Majesty's Forces during the period of the present emergency, to suspend the right of constables and firemen to retire on pension during that period, to provide that war injuries shall be deemed to be non-accidental injuries for the purpose of enactments and other instruments relating to the pensions of constables and firemen, to amend Section 16 of the Fire Brigade Pensions Act, 1925, and for purposes connected with the matters aforesaid. I beg to move that the Bill be read a first time.
Moved, That the Bill be now read 1a.—(Lord Templemore.)
On Question, Bill read 1a, and to be printed.

EDUCATION (SCOTLAND) (WAR SERVICE SUPERANNUATION) BILL.
Brought from the Commons; and read 1a.
NAVY AND MARINES (WILLS) BILL. [H.L.]
Returned from the Commons, agreed to.
ROYAL MARINES BILL. [H.L.]
Returned from the Commons, agreed to.
MILITARY AND AIR FORCES (PROLONGATION OF SERVICE) BILL. [H.L.]
Returned from the Commons, agreed to.

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE.
3.15 p.m.
EARL STANHOPE: My Lords, I understand that there are one or two Bills at any rate which we are likely to receive from the Commons pretty soon. Therefore I suggest that we should adopt the procedure that I have suggested in the last few days and adjourn during pleasure, and that the Division bells should ring to warn noble Lords when there is business to go on with.
LORD SNELL: Could the noble Earl give any indication as to whether he proposes to finish these Bills to-day?
EARL STANHOPE: Yes, I think we should like to pass through all their stages the Teachers Superannuation (War Service) Bill, the Education (Scotland) (War Service Superannuation) Bill, which has just been read a first time, the Local Government Staffs (War Service) Bill, the Unemployment Insurance (Emergency Powers) Bill, the Unemployment Assistance (Emergency Powers) Bill, and the National Registration Bill. I propose that the House should now adjourn during pleasure.
House adjourned during pleasure.
House resumed.

TEACHERS SUPERANNUATION (WAR SERVICE) BILL.
Brought from the Commons; and read 1a.
Then, Standing Order No. XXXIX having been suspended:
4.34 p.m.
LORD TEMPLEMORE: My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a second time. This Bill amends the enactments relating to the superannuation of teachers in England and Wales with the object of enabling war service to be treated as service for the purposes of those Acts. Pensions and gratuities to teachers are paid out of the Vote of the Board of Education. There is no superannuation fund, but the cost is partly met by appropriating in aid of the Vote the contributions of 5 per cent. of salary paid by teachers in contributory service and the equivalent contributions paid by their employers, the latter, however, being partly reimbursed by means of grant under the Board's grant regulations. To the extent to which war service is treated as contributory service without contributions being paid an extra charge is thrown on the Board's Vote.
The Bill is therefore founded upon a Financial Resolution. I should say at this stage that the extra charge on the Board's Vote entails a corresponding payment to the Education (Scotland) Fund of eleven-eightieths of that charge. I shall shortly be introducing a similar Bill for Scotland but teachers' pensions in Scotland are paid out of the Education (Scotland) Fund and a Financial Resolution is not required for that Bill. The Financial Resolution in respect of the English Bill automatically covers the extra expense for Scotland. I should add that the extra charge on the Exchequer will depend on the number of teachers undertaking war service while in respect of those exempted from the payment of contributions—there are not expected to be very many of these, although the number is necessarily indeterminate—the total amount which falls on the Exchequer may be relatively small. I beg to move that the Bill be now read a second time.
Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a. (Lord Templemore.)
4.37 p.m.
LORD STRABOLGI: My Lords, there is no objection in principle to this Bill in any way, but I venture to ask the noble Lord two questions, if I may, upon it. First of all the definition of "war service" is in Clause 11, page 6. It lays down that
"'war service' means service, during the period of the present emergency, in any of the naval, military or air forces of the Crown, or any service during that period which the Board consider may properly be treated for the purpose of this Act in the same manner as service in those forces."
The question I have to ask is whether that includes, for example, whole-time A.R.P. appointments.
The other question is this. I understand that the Bill really is to allow the arrangements for counting accumulating pension rights to go on though the teachers' educational service is interrupted by war service. There is a rather complicated definition of how they reckon the salaries. From that it would appear that it is intended, though I do not know whether this is right or not, to make up the pay of teachers—that is, their military pay—if they enlist or are serving as Territorials, to the same amount as their pay as teachers. Is that the case? Is that being done in these cases? If so, those are important questions. With regard to the second, I do not want to appear to be in any way obstructing anyone from getting all the money he can, but I think we have to be a little careful. I want to enter this caveat at once. We have to be a little careful that we do not arouse jealousies between different sections of serving personnel in the various Services.
I had occasions to refer to this matter during the original Military Training Bill, when justices' Clerks seemed to be picked out for some special treatment. I do not know whether it was the patronage of the noble and learned Lord, Lord Maugham, or his interest in his profession which caused it. I then drew attention to this apparent picking out of certain classes to get special treatment. As I have said, I think we have to be a little careful so that we do not arouse undesirable jealousies. From what I know of the mood of the people they are looking for equal sacrifices all round.
4.40 p.m.
LORD TEMPLEMORE: My Lords, the noble Lord has asked two questions. The

993
first was whether "war service," as defined in Clause 11 included permanent A.R.P. service. The answer is in the affirmative. The noble Lord then asked me if the pay of teachers was going to be made up less their war pay. To that question the answer is that it is a power which the local authorities possess but which they are not compelled to exercise. I think the same point occurs in the Local Government Staffs (War Service) Bill which comes before us to-day.
On Question, Bill read 2a: Committee negatived.
Bill read 3a, and passed, and a Message sent to the Commons to acquaint them therewith.

EDUCATION (SCOTLAND) (WAR SERVICE SUPERANNUATION) BILL.
Standing Order No. XXXIX having been suspended:
4.42 p.m.
LORD TEMPLEMORE: My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a second time. It will not be necessary to inflict another speech on your Lordships on this Bill. I would simply say that it is similar to the Teachers (War Service Superannuation) Bill which your Lordships have just passed, but it is adapted to conform to the special needs of Scotland. I explained to your Lordships on the last Bill why it had not been necessary in another place to have a Financial Resolution for this one.
Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(Lord Templemore.)
On Question, Bill read 2a: Committee negatived.
Bill read 3a, and passed, and a Message sent to the Commons to acquaint them therewith.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT STAFFS (WAR SERVICE) BILL.
Brought from the Commons; and read 1a.
Then, Standing Order No. XXXIX having been suspended:
4.43 p.m.
THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE FOR DOMINION AFFAIRS (THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE): My Lords, I beg to move
994
that this Bill be read a second time. The main objects of the Bill are to empower local authorities and certain other authorities such as statutory undertakings to make up the balance of civil pay of their employees undertaking war service and to preserve the superannuation rights of those employees. The term "war service" includes civilian defence service. The Bill empowers the authorities to pay to the employee or his dependants a sum which shall not exceed the remuneration which he would have enjoyed had he not left to embark upon war service, after deducting therefrom the amount of his war service pay, including marriage, family and other similar allowances. The period of war service of an employee will be aggregated for superannuation purposes and reckoned in the same manner as service in his civil capacity.
Where an employee was liable to make contributions before he ceased to serve in his civil capacity he will be required to continue to make his contributions if the authority supplements his war service pay or if his war service pay is not less than his civil pay before he embarked on war service. If neither of these conditions is satisfied no contributions will be payable by the employee, but his period of war service will be reckonable as a period of service in respect of which his contributions have been paid and the liability will fall on the rates. That is to say, the Bill provides that local authorities may put their employees in the position of being no worse off as a result of undertaking war service. The Bill does not apply to teachers, because they are dealt with in a separate Bill, and it does not apply to professional firemen, because they similarly are dealt with in a separate Bill. Another provision which I ought to explain is one to secure that no person shall be disqualified for being elected or remaining a member of a local authority by reason of the fact that he has taken on civil defence work and thus technically become a servant of that authority. I beg to move.
Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(The Duke of Devonshire.)
On Question, Bill read 2a: Committee negatived.
Bill read 3a, and passed, and a Message sent to the Commons to acquaint them therewith.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE (EMERGENCY POWERS) BILL.
Brought from the Commons; and read 1a.
Then, Standing Order No. XXXIX having been suspended:
4.47 p.m.
EARL STANHOPE: My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a second time. The main object of the Bill is to effect a simplification of the unemployment insurance scheme so that it will be reasonably practicable to operate it in war-time conditions. The employment exchanges will be heavily pressed with other duties, such as the supply of labour for war-time work, and they may have to deal with an increased number of unemployed persons. Some modifications of the present complex scheme are therefore essential. The Bill gives power to the Minister to make necessary modifications by means of regulations subject to the approval of the Treasury, but certain of the provisions of the Act, which I am sure your Lordships will feel should be left out of such an emergency measure, cannot be modified by the Bill now before your Lordships. These provisions are those relating to the rates of benefit, the rates of contributions, the equal-thirds contribution from the Exchequer and the provisions relating to Treasury advances to the Unemployment Fund.
The principal changes proposed to be made by regulations are, firstly, suspension of certificates excepting or exempting persons from liability to insure; secondly, temporary suspension of the provisions relating to the return of contributions erroneously paid; thirdly, adjusting benefit periods in view of the fact that past records will be unavailable; fourthly, relaxation of benefit conditions in favour of persons taking in official refugees and in favour of persons claiming dependants' benefit. There will also be a number of changes including extension of the powers of insurance officers designed to simplify administration. In view of the urgency of making regulations the procedure for their submission to the Unemployment Statutory Committee will not apply, but they will be laid before Parliament and can be annulled if an Address is presented by either House within the next twenty days on which that House has sat. The necessary powers in these
996
respects are given in Clause 1 of the Bill. Clause 3 enables the Parliament of Northern Ireland to pass similar legislation, and the remaining clauses are consequential and formal. I beg to move.
Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a (Earl Stanhope.)
On Question, Bill read 2a: Committee negatived.
Bill read 3a, and passed, and a Message sent to the Commons to acquaint them therewith.

UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE (EMERGENCY POWERS) BILL.
Brought from the Commons; and read 1a.
Then, Standing Order No. XXXIX having been suspended:
4.50 p.m.
EARL STANHOPE: My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be read a second time. The object of the Bill is to provide for an extension of the unemployment assistance scheme so as to permit the payment of allowances to persons outside the present scope who are in distress as the result of circumstances caused by the war. This is an entirely new scheme. The chief classes to be covered in the first instance will be, first of all, persons in distress as the result of their having been evacuated under the Government evacuation scheme; secondly, persons in distress by reason of the fact that, owing to enemy attack or threatened enemy action or to other circumstances arising out of the war, they or some person on whom they normally depend for their support have wholly or to a substantial extent been deprived of their normal means of livelihood. The scheme will be on much the same lines as the present unemployment assistance scheme and allowances will be based on the same standards. The scheme has been devised because it is not thought to be fair that this additional burden, in the event of an emergency, should fall upon the public assistance authorities. The cost of any allowances will be borne by the Exchequer. The scheme does not, of course, relieve public assistance authorities of their existing liabilities. The extension must inevitably be capable of being made by means of regulations, as flexibility and rapidity of action are clearly necessary.

997
The Bill also empowers the Minister, by means of regulations made with the approval of the Treasury, to simplify the working of the unemployment assistance scheme in relation both to the classes which are now covered by it and to the new classes which will be brought in. The power to make alterations by regulations under the Bill will, however, not extend to certain provisions in the present scheme which will only be capable of alteration by further legislation. The provisions in question are those relating to the assessment of allowances, including safeguarding of certain classes of resources and the procedure under which regulations for the assessment of need must be submitted in draft to Parliament and must receive the prior approval of Parliament before they can become operative.
A clause in this Bill, similar to one in the Unemployment Insurance (Emergency Powers) Bill, which your Lordships have just passed, enables the Parliament of Northern Ireland to pass similar legislation in that country. The rest of the Bill is consequential and formal. I beg to move that it be now read a second time.
Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(Earl Stanhope.)
On Question, Bill read 2a: Committee negatived.
Bill read 3a, and passed, and a Message sent to the Commons to acquaint them therewith.

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE.
4.55 p.m.
EARL STANHOPE: My Lords, I understand that the National Registration Bill, which is the last Bill which we are asking your Lordships to deal with today, is very nearly finished in another place and therefore will appear before your Lordships soon. Therefore I propose that we should adjourn again during pleasure, but I think in this case it will be for a very few minutes only. Perhaps I may say to your Lordships that I understand that the only business before the House to-morrow will be the introduction of my noble and learned friend on the Woolsack, who will then be able to take part in the proceedings of your Lordships' House, and the two Bills
998
which were read a first time to-day. Then on Thursday we shall have, six Bills, in addition to two which will be House of Lords Bills and which I think have already been read a first time—namely, Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Bill, Exchequer and Audit Departments (Temporary Provisions) Bill, Income Tax Procedure (Emergency Provisions) Bill, Import Duties (Emergency Provisions) Bill, Government and Other Stocks (Emergency Provisions) Bill, and the Control of Employment Bill.
On Thursday we shall ask your Lordships to have a Royal Commission in respect of those Bills and the House of Lords Bills. I understand that the Prime Minister has announced that he thinks there will be no further emergency legislation in the immediate future and therefore that Parliament will be able on Thursday to adjourn until some time (probably Wednesday) of next week.
House adjourned during pleasure.
House resumed.

NATIONAL REGISTRATION BILL.
Brought from the Commons; and read 1a.
Then, Standing Order No. XXXIX having been suspended:
5.48 p.m.
THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE: My Lords, I hope I shall not keep your Lordships too long but as this is a Bill which will closely affect the life of every man, woman and child in the country, I think it is right to explain it in rather greater detail than some of the emergency legislation with which we have been dealing. I take it that none of your Lordships will be in any doubt as to the desirability of having a National Register. Perhaps it is not generally realised that the only population statistics available now are those of the last census, which took place in 1931. The object of this Bill is to substitute for those out-of-date figures complete and up-to-date population statistics, which will make it possible to make the best use of the man and woman power available for the prosecution of the war, for the maintenance of industry and, what may be of supreme importance, of our

999
export trade and of our purchasing power abroad, and to facilitate the production and distribution of food and other essential supplies. The Register will also be valuable as a means of preserving contact between members of families which are dispersed by evacuation, and if such things as rationing become necessary the Register will also be of very great value.
The Register is to cover all persons in the United Kingdom, with the exception of the armed forces and the personnel of the Mercantile Marine. Both those classes are exempted by Clause 7 because they are otherwise provided for. The machinery used will be similar to that employed for the census. Great Britain will be divided into a very large number of districts—65,000 districts—and an enumerator will be appointed for each district. Each enumerator will distribute forms of return shortly before the National Registration Day, which will be fixed by order under Clause 11, and he will collect these forms immediately after the appointed day. When he has collected these forms, he will make out and issue to each householder an identity card in respect of each individual in the return.
Clause 4 of the Bill makes provision for keeping the Register up to date by obtaining returns of changes in the particulars originally registered and of persons newly entering into or passing out of the scope of the Register. Those arrangements relate to removals, entries into the Register by birth, landing from abroad, discharge from the armed forces and so on, and to exits from the Register by death, embarkation for abroad, recruitment for the armed forces and so on. The Board of Trade will establish a separate Mercantile Marine Register for certain classes of the Mercantile Marine and that Register will be operated by the special machinery of the Marine Department of the Board of Trade. Men will pass out of the National Register on entering the Mercantile Marine Register and vice versa.
Clause 6 of the Bill provides for the identity card and for conditions as to its custody, renewal or replacement, surrender and production on authorised demand. It might perhaps save time if I said at this stage of the Bill that there is no intention that any person, except a police constable in uniform, shall, under normal conditions, be entitled to demand
1000
production of this card. The Bill does not contain those words because conditions may arise, in relation to ration cards for instance, when it is reasonable under freer conditions to allow persons other than constables in uniform to demand production of the card, but the intention of the Bill is that in the street, in public places, only a constable in uniform shall have the right to demand the production of this card.
LORD STRABOLGI: What about a hotel keeper?
THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE: If rations come in, I think it will be required.
LORD STRABOLGI: The point is this; orders have just been given to hotel keepers to make inquiries about everyone, especially Irish subjects, particularly in connection with certain outrages which I hope are now stopped indefinitely. Is a hotel keeper or lodging-house keeper entitled to ask for the production of this identity card?
THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE: I will have to look into that particular point, but my impression is that in the street, out of doors, only a constable in uniform is authorised to demand it. The case of a person selling petrol was given to me, and I think the noble Lord may take it that a hotel keeper would be entitled to require to see the identity card.
The whole procedure has been worked out on a uniform basis for the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man and uniformity will be assured by joint regulations made by the Ministers responsible for the working of the Bill, who will be the Minister of Health, the Secretary of State for Scotland and, for Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man, the Home Secretary. Actually the provisions of Clause 3 for organising and preparing for the national compilation have already been anticipated under the authority of the Census Act, 1920. Enumeration districts have been settled, and enumerators have been appointed to them. The management of the enumeration has been entrusted in England and Wales to the clerks to the councils of boroughs and urban and rural districts, who will become national registration officers, and in Scotland and the Isle of Man to local registrars. All the necessary preparations have been made, and if this

1001
Bill is passed National Registration Day can be thirteen days after the decision that a National Register should be taken; that is, eight days to instruct enumerators and five days to distribute forms to householders.
National Registration Day would be the day when the public would be required by law to fill up the forms. Another seven days would be needed for enumerators to collect forms, make the necessary transcripts for the Central Register, and hand in the forms to the local superintendents. Then there would come into being both a Central Register and local registers of every man, woman and child in the United Kingdom, which would be maintained for use in whatever way circumstances may make necessary. As I have told your Lordships, it will be of value not only in enabling the best use to be made of the nation's man power, but in maintaining contacts between families, also in the calling up of classes as may be necessary, in the issue of ration cards, and in many other ways. I hope to answer any questions which may be put to me, and that, with the explanation which I have given, your Lordships will be willing to give the Bill a Second Reading. I beg to move.
Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a—(The Duke of Devonshire.)
5.57 p.m.
LORD SNELL: My Lords, in ordinary circumstances we should have wished to have had time to make a detailed examination of this Bill, and perhaps to offer some suggestions in respect of it. The matter is, however, urgent and my noble friends and myself will not resist the passing of the Bill this afternoon. We can see certain very great advantages in the measure. It will enable the vocational capacity of the population to be ascertained, and will doubtless be useful in many other ways. Experience will perhaps reveal to us places where the measure can be amended, and therefore we do not close our minds to having a belated look at it even when it has become the law of the land, but at present we neither resist the measure nor offer any criticism with regard to it.
On Question, Bill read 2a: Committee negatived.
Bill read 3a, and passed, and a Message sent to the Commons to acquaint there therewith.

TRADING WITH THE ENEMY BILL. [H.L.]
Returned from the Commons, agreed to, with Amendments.
EARL STANHOPE: My Lords, I beg to move that the Commons Amendments be considered forthwith.
Moved, That the Commons Amendments be considered forthwith.—(Earl Stanhope.)
On Question, Motion agreed to.
EARL STANHOPE: My Lords, I understand that the Amendments made in another place merely restore Privilege Amendments. Therefore I beg to move that this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendments.
Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendments—(Earl Stanhope.)
On Question, Motion agreed to.
House adjourned during pleasure.
House resumed.

ROYAL COMMISSION.
The Royal Assent was given to the following Bills:

Navy and Marines (Wills),

Royal Marines,

Trading with the Enemy,

Military and Air Forces (Prolongation of Service),

National Registration,

Unemployment Insurance (Emergency Powers),

Unemployment Assistance (Emergency Powers),

Local Government Staffs (War Service),

Teachers Superannuation (War Service),

Education (Scotland) (War Service Superannuation).

House adjourned at a quarter past six o'clock.